the 2004 meme, stolen from vivaemptiness

[thejunipertree]

1. What did you do in 2004 that you'd never done before?
Put my mother into a hospice program. Held someone's hand as they died. Saw fetus parts before my very eyes.

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any last year, I was too busy drunkenly jumping on a trampoline.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, thankfully.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes. My mother. My godfather. One of my mother's friends. My mother's best friend's nephew (the son of the one who died). A friend of mine. All in the past two months.

5. What countries did you visit?
None.

6. What would you like to have in 2005 that you lacked in 2004?
Serenity.

7. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 12th, the day my mother died.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Removing all the black dye from my hair.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Being out of work for almost nine months (this travelled over from 2003).

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was rather sick with the Ebola twice this year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Simon, the wonder rat.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Miss Stephanie.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The CEO of the company I work for.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The (postponed) Diamanda Galas concert in October.

16. What song will always remind you of 2004?
"Come on, darkness", by Camper Van Beethoven.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? sadder
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner
iii. richer or poorer? about the same

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Told my mother I loved her.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stress shopping.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Drunk. Listening to "Fairytale in New York", by the Pogues. Same as every year. Only this year, we're not really celebrating.

21. What LJ users did you meet?
I met vivaemptiness in person for the first time, I think.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
With the Engineer, every day. You are all now cordially invited to STFU.

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Six Feet Under. Carnivale.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.

26. What was the best book you read?
The newest Charles DeLint book, the title is currently escaping me though.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Bonfire Madigan.

28. What did you want and get?
Red hair. A job.

29. What did you want and not get?
My mother to come home.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my actual birthday, nothing. However, there were three (count them, THREE) celebrations in my honour. One of which made me cry like a jilted girl on prom night.

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More bourbon.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Nightbreed witchy girly girl swamp goth, now with added platforms!

34. What kept you sane?
My friends.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Lewis Black. My cordial invitation for all of you to STFU still stands, by the way.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Unborn Victim Protection Act.

37. Who did you miss?
Commander Jurin. The Philadelphia Contingent.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My co-workers: Angel, Dare, Joanna, and Amanda.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004.
Strangers have the best candy.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Be mindful of the prayers you send
Pray hard but pray with care
For the tears that you are crying now
Are just your answered prayers
The ladders of life that we scale merrily
Move mysteriously around
So that when you think you're climbing up, man
In fact you're climbing down ~Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds